Sacrificed to the Beast
by crcc1014
Summary: Bella is a healer in a small village in the kingdom of Volterra. There are those who are grateful for her gift, and there are those who fear it. A ritual that has not been used in centuries comes to life and Bella finds herself becoming a sacrifice to the beast that lives in the forest. The beast has been waiting a long time for the right sacrifice. At last he has found her... B/E
1. Chapter 1

Warning: There are difficult sexual situations in this story. If you can't handle it, I recommend you don't read on. This story isn't for the faint of heart.

* * *

Chapter 1

I ran my hands through the soft grass, sending tingles through my fingertips. I lay back and gaze up at the clear blue sky. My bare legs and arms are visible to the sun, warming my pale flesh. I close my eyes and soak it all in. I hear birds chirping and the wind rustling the trees. To me this is my peaceful safe haven. As the sun starts to dip, I realize I've been out here for quite some time. I stand up and brush grass off of my well-worn dress and start walking along the edge of the tree line.

Our small village, Forks, sits just on the edge of the country Volterra. Isolated from the bigger cities, the townsfolk here keep mostly to themselves. Beyond our border lies a vast forest known to house creatures of the night. They say to never venture into the woods, especially women. There are tales of women being snatched into the darkness of the forest and are ravaged by beasts and then drained of blood. Centuries ago, the townspeople used to sacrifice young women to the beasts as payment for keeping their village safe.

I snort. What a ridiculous notion. If those tales are even true, then it must have been a long time ago. I was born and raised in this village and nothing like that has ever happened. No creatures have come out of the forest and no people have gone missing. Although you won't find any townsfolk out after dark, unless it's to go to the local tavern for the night.

As I walk down the road to my home, I see my neighbor, Peter. He looks up from his fence work.

"Good evening to ya, Miss Bella." he smiles and wipes his forehead.

"Aye, it is a good evening. Tell your wife I'll stop by soon to give her some of that herbal tea she likes." I smile in return.

"I will tell Charlotte, she'll like that very much." he says and goes to back to his work.

I make my way to the cottage that I share with my family. My father, Charles, is a scholar and teaches the children of the village. He's a quiet soul and likes to spend most of his time in his chair by the fireplace reading a book. My older sister, Rosalie, is the cook in our family. As I walk in, she is in the kitchen cooking the evening meal as usual. My other older sister, Alice, is a seamstress. I always find her mending the few clothes that we have, or trying to make us something new to wear from the few scraps of fabric we can afford. We don't have the money for new clothes. The little money that my father earns goes mostly to put food on the table. Even we have little of that. With four people to feed and clothe, the cost adds up.

I've been studying to become a healer and I seem to have quite a talent for it. My mentor is the village's healer, Eliza. She is becoming too old to continue on the position so she has been grooming me to take over for her when the time comes. Helping people is like a second nature to me. I truly believe I've found my calling in life.

Rosalie glances at me from her place at the stove. "Ah, there you are. Supper is ready and we were beginning to wonder."

I inhale the aroma of her vegetable soup and my stomach starts to growl.

"I'm sorry for disappearing for so long, I just went for a walk." I say and sit at the table. My father is already there with a book in his hand.

"Seems like you go on walks a lot more often these days." Alice mumbles, puts her needlework down and joins us at the table.

My father looks up from his book to smile at me. "Bells can come and go as she pleases." he says. I smile at the nickname he gave me as a child.

"Not if she wishes to find a good husband. I hear that the bakers' son, Michael is looking for a wife." Rose says and gives me a look. As the oldest sister, she tends to act as our stand-in mother. Since our mother died many years ago from the sickness that took so many lives all those years ago.

As Rose serves us the soup I try not to gag at the mention of Michael. One of the reasons I've been going on more walks lately is to avoid him. He has mentioned marriage to me more than once now. I do not wish to be with someone who has bedded most of the maidens in the village.

"Michael is vile and I don't like him." I say as we all start to eat.

Rose huffs. "You don't even know him."

"I know he's a big flirt and has been with many women." I argue. "I don't see myself loving him."

Rose rolls her eyes. "You can't expect a marriage to be for love, Bell. Michael's family does very well for themselves. He would be a good provider. Now that other boy from the mill, what was his name? James! he would also be a good provider…"

I start to tune Rose out. This was how dinner usually went. Father and Alice would sit quietly eating their supper while Rose and I fought about me getting married. Apparently being eighteen and unmarried means that I'm becoming an old maid. Rose was already engaged to a man named Laurent, he's a hunter and butcher. She is going to live with him once their married. Which will hopefully be sooner rather than later. Alice is also engaged, to a man named Eric. He works in the local tavern that his family owns. Alice will move in with him when the time comes. Which leaves me. The only sister without a man in her life, except for my father. Hence why my eldest sister is pressuring me before she leaves. She has taken the role of a nagging mother very well.

I slap my hand on the table. "I'm going to marry for love or not at all."

"Love is a fantasy. A luxury you can't afford. That part comes later." Rose says and starts to clear the table.

"Father and mother married for love." I reminded her.

"Yeah well she's gone." Rose snapped and then made a small gasp, realizing the mistake she made. We all looked at my father and he gave us a small sad smile. "I'm sorry father." She says.

"It's alright dear. I think I shall retire early. Sweet dreams my lovely girls." My father gets up and kisses all of us goodnight.

"Goodnight father." We say and watch him go to his room and close the door.

I feel a pang in my chest. My father has never been the same since my mother Renee's death. None of us have but he feels it the most. They loved each other so much and were each other's soulmates.

None of us speak as we readied for bed, thoughts of our mother still fresh in our minds. All three of us share a room. Although, not for much longer since it will be my room after my sisters are married. I put my nightgown on and slip into my bed. I bid my sisters goodnight and close my eyes. Sleep comes easy to me tonight…

I'm standing in the middle of a forest where trees and plant life surround me. I'm wearing my nightgown and I start to wrap my arms around myself but then I stop and realize I'm not cold. I find this strange and I suddenly sense movement. Someone was watching me… or something. I can feel its eyes on me as though its gaze would burn into my skin. I start to shake but not from fear. I turn to find a pair of red glowing eyes stare at me from the brush. My body trembles from the intensity of its stare. I start to back away slowly sensing that it's a dangerous animal. An echo of a whisper goes through my head and I turn to run. A growl sounds in my head and I scream.

I wake with a gasp, my body covered in a cool sweat. Only after a moment I realize that the growl in my head was actually a word. It was just a dream, I tell myself. I don't even comprehend what the word is until I fall back asleep.

 _Mine_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

My sisters and I start the day early as usual. Rose cooks us porridge for the morning meal. After we finish eating, our father goes to the schoolhouse. Rose and Alice start the daily chores. I gather my medicine satchel and bid my sisters a good day. I head down the road from my house into town. In the morning light, the townspeople bustle about to start their day. As I approach the bakery I start to walk a little faster, hoping Michael wouldn't notice me.

"Good morrow, Bella!"

 _Avoidance will not work today_

I cringe at the sound of his voice. I turn to him slowly with a tight smile on my face. He walks over to me and I see his apron is dirty and covered with flour and his face is all sweaty from working with an oven all morning.

"Good morrow, Michael." I sigh

He wipes his hands on his dirty apron. it doesn't help. "I've been meaning to have a talk with you, but it seems you're never around." he says with a grin.

I shrug. "I've been keeping myself quite busy."

His smile turns sly. "Hmm, I see. Well tell your father to expect me at supper tonight, there is something I wish to discuss with him." I shudder as his eyes roam the length of my body.

As if we don't have enough food for ourselves already, we have to feed this pig tonight. Rose will want to cook something special if she thinks he will ask for my hand.

"Aye, I will tell him." I say quietly.

"Be sure that you do, Bell." His smile didn't change but the sternness of his voice and hardening of his gaze showed me a little of what was to come if I didn't do as I was told.

I nod. "Good day to you then, Michael." I spin on my heel and walk away as fast as I can. My stomach is churning. I don't know what the other women see in him.

"Good day to you as well, my sweet." he says cheerfully, then laughs as he walks back inside the bakery. The prick thinks he has won.

 _We'll see about that_

…

…

I enter the healer's cottage and find Eliza putting together some sort of smudge stick.

"Good morrow, Eliza." I greet her.

"Good morrow, child." she smiles.

I place my satchel on the counter and start to organize the herbs Eliza has already put out for me.

"Are we making any house calls today?" I ask

She shakes her head. "Only the Collins' boy. Broken bones take time to heal. Be sure to monitor him for infection. We wouldn't want the little brat to lose his leg now would we?" I laugh at that.

Brady Collins is one of the most trouble making children I've ever met. My poor father has to deal with him at school on a daily basis. I don't know how he does it. Brady was climbing a tree to try and get a better angle at dropping a bowl full of frogs on a group of school girls trying to enjoy their lunch. Of course his plan backfired when a frog jumped on his face, scarring him, thus he fell out of the tree and broke his leg. Poor little lamb. Then I remembered.

"Michael Newton has asked to have supper with my father tonight." I tell her. She simply looks at me with a raised eyebrow.

"He is going to ask my father for my hand, but I'd rather eat dirt than have to sit through a meal with him." I mutter angrily.

She makes an amused sound. "That boy has more air in his head than an actual brain."

"Oh and don't I know it. I will never agree to marry such a man." I cover my face with my hands.

Eliza pats my shoulder in comfort. "Don't worry child, your father will never agree to the marriage if you are so against it."

I laugh harshly. "It's not my father I'm worried about. Rosalie has been trying to marry me off for a while now. As soon as Michael comes over tonight I'll be done for." I huff and go back to my organizing of my herbs.

Eliza makes a humming sound and I hear her rummage through her drawers. "Here," she says and hands me a blue leaf. I stare at her, dumbfounded.

She makes a sound. "When he comes for the evening meal tonight, put this in his wine. It will muddle his brain and make him sleepy. He'll never know what hit him."

I smile slowly and hug her. "This is perfect, thank you."

"Anything for you my dear." she smiles.

I hide the blue leaf in my medicine satchel as I leave the healer's hut that night. I'm smiling the whole way home. Won't know what hit him indeed.

…

…

As I enter the cottage I see father in his usual chair with a book. Alice is mending one of father's shirts. Rose is already preparing for supper.

"We have a dinner guest tonight." I announce. Everyone freezes with what they're doing and look at me.

"Michael Newton has asked to have supper and discuss for my hand in marriage with you, father." I tell him.

Rose starts to grin but I say, "But I won't marry him. He is one of the most loathsome men I've ever met."

Her smile vanishes. "Isabella be reasonable!"

I ignore her and walk over to my father. I take his hand in mine and stare into his eyes. "Father, under no circumstances are to accept his proposal of marriage for me. I refuse to marry him. Please don't make me." I plead.

He nods slowly. "If that is what you truly wish then it shall be done." I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding and hugged him tightly.

Rose started to yell at me. "You're an ungrateful girl! this is a chance for you to be taken care of and marry into a good family!"

Alice looks up from her threading and shudders. "Don't do it Bella. I can see what kind of man he is, and not a good one." she had a faraway look in her eyes. Alice seemed to know things. When she speaks, people tend to listen to what she has to say. Some say she has the gift of foresight and that's why she knows things.

"Not you too, Ally." Rose whines. Alice just shrugs.

"Look Rose, I appreciate you trying to help me, I really do. But it's my life and I'll choose what to do with it. If I'm going to marry, then I can do a hell of a lot better than him." I say.

Rose breathes deeply and gives me a tired look. Then nods. "Well he's coming to dinner anyway so let's get ready for that."

I smile and search for the blue leaf in my satchel. "I'm way ahead of you."

…

…

To say dinner was a disaster would be an understatement.

It was beautifully disastrous.

Michael showed up in his best clothes of course, along a with satisfied smirk. When the food was served, I had ground up the blue leaf into powder and slipped it into his wine goblet. I handed it to him with a smile and he gave me a leer, downing his wine in one gulp. Needless to say, when the time came for him to talk with my father he couldn't even get the words out properly. He ended up collapsed on our living room floor, dead asleep. We had to get Michael's father and brother to take him home.

"The poor man has had too much to drink," I say, placing my hand over my heart in feigned concern. All the while inside I was jumping for joy.

I watch as they carry him away like the sack of potatoes he is. I have a smile on my face for the rest of the night.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Once, I stumbled upon a maid and stable boy touching each other behind a barn. They had not noticed I was there. She had his penis in her mouth and his hands were on her bare breasts while they both moaned. I didn't mean to watch them, but I was curious when my body started to warm considerably. When he lifted her up against the barn wall and entered her forcefully I couldn't stop my hand from traveling down my body. I watched him thrust into her as she cried out over and over again. My fingers had found their way to my most sensitive area and I was filled with a sensation I'd never felt before. Since then I've found touching myself relieves the tension I sometimes get when thinking about such things. What it would feel like to have a man's hands on my body… touching me... kissing me.

The dreams I've been having make me feel that way, although each time is different. I'm not so afraid of the creature in my dreams anymore, since it visits me now almost every night. I never see what it is that makes me feel so, but I can feel the heat of its red-eyed gaze and smell its earthy musk. Its growls send shivers through my body. I almost feel… safe. I usually wake to find my hand stroking my lower region. I can feel myself grow wet. I check to make sure my sisters are still asleep, then I continue to stroke myself. Climax comes easily for me these days. All the while I can still feel the creatures' stare on me. I hear a faint laugh, as if it knew what it was doing to me. Hearing the sound, my body starts to tingle all over. It is difficult to fall back asleep.

…

Brady Collins lets out a relieved sigh as I place my hand on the wound of his broken leg, my hand warming at the contact. "That feels an awful lot better, Miss Bella." he says

"Keep drinking the herbal tea I gave you, it will help with the pain." I say and shift my hand to another spot on his leg.

His nose crinkles. "Your touch always makes the pain go away. Why is that miss Bella?"

I smile. "I'm a healer, that is what healers do." Eliza says a person with a healer's gift will use their spirit to heal others. Old magic lives in our blood she says. Although you have to be careful not overexert your ability. They say there are tales of healers who can even bring back a person from the point of death, but at a great cost. The spirit is a fragile thing, and must only be used to heal in a great time of need. I can take away a person's pain, but I have yet accomplished the healing of a wound or ailment completely. Which is why I have such a knack for herbs.

I smear a healing paste on his wound and redress it with a bandage. I turn to his mother, Lauren who has just walked in. "The wound is healing quite nicely and I see no sign of infection." I tell her

She nods nonchalantly and pays me, then busies herself in the kitchen. "Aye good."

I gather my supplies. "I'll be on my way then."

Without looking at me she says, "Good day to ya healer." then shouts at Brady, "Get your arse moving, boy! those cows aren't going to milk themselves ya know." Brady grumbles, grabs his crutch and shuffles out the door.

I stare after him in shock, then address her. "He should be staying in bed so his leg can heal properly."

"There is too much work to be done for his lazy arse to be in bed all day." she snaps

"If he keeps at it like that then his wound might get infectious." I argue

She glares at me. "I say what is best for my son."

"But-"

"Why don't ya go off and have your own children, I hear the bakers' son has asked for ya hand. The women say he has a big prick, so he should straighten you up nicely." she laughs crudely. I gasp at her words and my face flames. "They also say he and his brother are known to share women. Sometimes their father joins in. If ya marry him, I guess it'll be like marrying the whole family." she cackles.

I rush out the door, but I can still hear her laughing. Her words cut through me like a knife. I never knew Lauren could be so cruel. Death changes people. You can see it in her face ever since her husband passed away from the same sickness that took my mother. She was left alone with a newborn babe. Over the years it has only ever been her and her son to take care of their household. I don't know why she didn't remarry.

I spend the rest of my day in the meadow. Being away from people helps me think more clearly. There is no way I will marry into that horrible family. I shudder at the thought of them touching me in such a way. I play with the tattered hem of my green dress for a moment then slip off my soft leather shoes. I lay back in the grass, closing my eyes with a sigh. Even with the small amount of healing I do drains me a little…

...

I wake up slowly and see that the sky has already started to darken. I curse and bolt upright, putting my shoes on in a haste. I start to run down the tree line that leads back into town. To avoid seeing anyone, I take a back road to my cottage. As I turn a corner it seemed my luck had run out. Because leaning against the wall was Michael, Michael's brother Tyler, and James. All three of them had been drinking heavily. As soon as they see me, Michael steps toward me with a manic grin. His gaze is predatory. My stomach drops. Lauren's words come back to me.

"Well, well boys. Look at what we have here. An ungrateful bitch who won't give me the time of day." he slurs angrily. I take a step back but they take another step towards me.

"Let me pass." I say shakily.

"Oh I don't think so my sweet," he sneers at me. "Ya need to learn how to behave like a proper wife."

"I will never be your wife." I spit at him.

His eyes darken. "Ya will be for the sake of your father. Wouldn't want anything to happen to him. Accidents do happen ya know."

I inhale a sharp breath. "How dare you-"

He grabs my arm and I try to pull away but he grips it tighter. He pushes me roughly against the wall and I cry out in pain. I start to panic when he takes the belt from his trousers. He wraps the belt around my head and uses it to gag my mouth. He wraps a sweaty hand around my throat when I start to yell through the gag.

"Quiet," he growls and slaps me across the face. I don't even feel the sting. "I want ya to consider my words very carefully. If ya don't marry me, then you'll find yourself burying your father before his time." my eyes start to water, but I will not cry in front of him and the other men. I won't give them that satisfaction. Slowly, I nod. What else was I to do.

Michael smile triumphantly. "Now there's a good girl." he starts to pull my dress up and I start thrashing. Tyler and James hold my arms down. "Now there's no need for that my sweet, I only want to have a taste before I have ya fully." his hands roam up my bare thighs until they reach my most intimate area. His fingers run through my curls before slipping inside me. I cry out from the intrusion. He goes deep and stops when he reaches my barrier.

"Ah, maidens are hard to come by in this village." Michael laughs and the others laugh in agreement. "I can't wait until your virgin blood is dripping down my cock." I start to shake as his ministrations grow. He uncovers my breasts and my nipples tighten at the feel of the cold air. He pinches them crudely. I wince as he slaps them. "Great pair of breasts on this one." he murmurs, and to my surprise latches his lips onto one of my nipples. He nips at the bud with his teeth and I start to squirm uncomfortably.

He hums, "Very nice indeed." The stares the men are giving me turn into something like hunger. I tremble from fear and the cold. Michael reaches down again to my intimate area. "What a beautiful cunt she has," the others watch and nod in agreement. "I think I shall like to have a taste." to my shock Michael drops to his knees and bares my lower half completely. His mouth instantly latches onto my opening, his tongue slobbering all over me as if he was eating me. My body started to warm on its own accord. I tried to pull away again, but three pairs of hands held me against the wall as Michael had his way with me. To my surprise, he took one hand and inserted a finger into me, making a pumping motion. Against my wishes, my body responded to him and became wet, making his finger slide into me easier. He began to move faster and I cried out. I didn't notice James and Tyler had started to caress my bare breasts, tweaking my nipples that sent tingles down to my lower belly. To my horror my body started to feel that familiar sensation. It kept rising until tears ran down my face and I cried out when my body finally made its release. All three men stopped what they were doing as I slumped against the wall. Michael stood up and wiped his mouth with a smirk.

"A responsive body like that will make you a good wife." Tyler slaps his brother's shoulder. James nods.

"Aye, she will make a fine bride." Michael says in agreement. He takes the belt from my mouth and I crumple to the ground.

"Until next time, my sweet." he says huskily. All three men stumble away, leaving me on the ground.

I felt numb. I didn't bother to cover myself or move for that matter. Tears leak through my closed eyelids as I try not to sob. I've never been so humiliated in all my life. Nor have I have been touched by a man, let alone three. What was worse was that my body betrayed me and I felt pleasure from their touches. I take a deep breath and shakily stand up. I pull my dress on and wipe the tears off my face. I start to slowly walk back home. My body started to get warm again, but this time from anger. Rage like I've never felt before filled me and I walked faster in determination. One thing was for sure.

They would never touch me again.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The dreams I have are usually the same, but this one for some reason is different. I don't know what made me want to run in the first place, but I'm running through a dark forest, the long fabric of my nightgown tangles through my legs. I don't hear it, but I can feel something chasing after me. I stop suddenly, a massive tree was blocking my path. My breath comes out harshly and I freeze when the air becomes still and quiet. I can feel whatever was chasing me stand behind me although It made no noise. I hold my breath, waiting for something to happen. Nothing does. I start to shake slightly, anticipation making me restless. I wait for what seems like forever. Eventually I can't stand the silence anymore.

"What do you want?" My whisper barely gets past my lips but I know it hears me.

I'm not sure why I spoke or asked that question. A part of me wanted to run away screaming like I usually would, the other part wanted to know why this creature had been invading my dreams these past weeks. I had no inclination of why this was happening to me. Maybe I was overthinking things. My mother always told me I had an overactive imagination. Dreams are dreams, they aren't real-

I jump in surprise when I feel fingers in my hair.

 _That feels real_

A hand gently runs through my long hair and my scalp tingles from the touch. Unintentionally, my eyes close on their own and a small sigh escapes my lips. I can feel the creature lean in and inhale my scent. Its chest rumbles with a deep growl that gives me shivers down to the bone.

" _I want you._ "

My eyes flash open at the sound of its voice. Or should I say _his_ voice. The creature that has been in my dreams is definitely a male.

He moves my hair from my neck and brings his nose in close, his breath tickling the sensitive area behind my ear. He inhales deeply, then brings both of his hands to my shoulders and slowly runs them down my arms. I don't see him but my skin prickles with goose flesh at his touch. His hands feel hard and hot. Like almost scorching hot. I never felt anything like it. I certainly never felt this way when Michael and the other men touched me. I felt repulsed by them. However, for some reason I feel the opposite with this creature's touch. I want to turn and face him but his grip tightens on my arms when I try to turn around.

"Why do you want me?" I ask shakily.

His hold on me tightens again before releasing me completely. I spin around and expect to find him there, but I find nothing. As if there wasn't anything there to begin with. His voice sounds in my head, almost like an echo.

" _Because you're meant to be mine._ "

…

…

I wake with a gasp. I'm breathing hard and I'm sweaty. I slowly sit up and rub my arms. I can still feel the warmth from where he touched me. I look over and see that my sisters are still sleeping, unaware of what just occurred. As how it should be. I won't burden them with my strange dreams. Yes, that is all that they are. Dreams are not real. Not real… I eventually fall back into a restless sleep, the creature's words ringing in my head.

…

…

Eliza watches me with concerned eyes as I stifle a yawn for the dozenth time. "Child, are you not sleeping well?"

I clear my throat and busy myself with crushing herbs. "Not lately no." A dark creature visits my dreams every night and makes me feel things low in my body that are confusing to me. Not that Eliza needs to know that.

"What's wrong?" She asks.

"Just worrying about my situation with Michael." I say. Which wasn't a complete lie. There wouldn't be any point in telling anyone what he did to me. His family are very influential in the town, not to mention he's a man. They would believe him over me and label me as a whore, which would ruin my prospects of marriage in this village. I have to admit that last thought was appealing. I didn't want to marry any man from this village. Plus, I'm too ashamed to tell my family with what happened.

Eliza starts to boil some herb mixture. "What situation? You told him you wouldn't marry him."

That's all well and good but she doesn't know that Michael threatened to harm my father if I didn't marry him. "He's the kind of man that doesn't take no for an answer," I say with a frown.

She snorts. "Well then my dear make him understand that no means no."

I grit my teeth in frustration. If only it were that easy. "I don't think I'll be getting out of this."

Something in my voice made her look at me. "If the prospect of marrying Michael is so unappealing to you, which I know it is, then you have other options," She says, stirring her boiling pot.

I couldn't think of any. "Like what?" I ask.

"Choose another man to marry."

"No," I say instantly.

"Leave the village."

"Leave the village?!" I practically scream,

She shoots me a startled look. "Why of course. Move to a new area, start a new life. One that you want. People do it all the time." She waves a hand.

I sigh, "I can't leave my family, they need me."

She shakes her head. "No they don't. Both of your sisters are to be married soon and your father is a grown man. They would be happy for you."

"I don't think they would be happy about me gallivanting off to other places on my own." Rosalie would have a fit.

Eliza stops what she's doing and walks over to me. She places her hand on top of mine. "Child, don't make this situation complicated. It's your life, live it how _you_ want. To hell with everyone else," she says with a smile, her older face lighting up.

I couldn't help but smile back. "I'll do my best." She stares at me for a moment.

Her face grows solemn. "You have a very rare but powerful gift my dear. Very few can do what you can; drawing out your spirit to help others heal. I have taught you all that I can about this but to an extent."

I frown at her words. "What do you mean?"

"I don't possess the greater power to heal as you do. My style of healing is much more refined in nature, such as herbs. You're what is called a spirit healer. I cannot teach you about your power because it is something you have to learn for yourself. From healing a small ailment, to bringing back a person from the point of death, those are all things that you will have to figure out for yourself." She places her hand on my cheek and smiles sadly. "But you must be careful of who you tell about your gift. Some would be most grateful for it," her eyes dim. "And some would not. There are those out there who would view your gift as an abomination."

"They would?" I ask, bewildered.

She nods. "People fear what they don't understand my child. It has been many centuries since the last spirit healer was condemned for their gift, so I don't think the people would know to look for spirit healers anymore. There might be others but the only one I know of is you."

"What did they do to condemn spirit healers?" I ask curiously.

"People believed a spirit healer's ability was a form of witchcraft… and you know what they do to witches," She says slowly.

I feel the blood drain from my face. I knew the stories. They burned accused witches at the stake or worse… much worse. Keep them alive long enough to prolong torture. It happened so long ago that it's just fabled horror stories now.

She smiles at me reassuringly. "I didn't mean to frighten you my dear. There hasn't been any witch condemns in a very long time so I think you're safe on this one, but what I said is still true; you must be careful of who you tell about your gift. Just to be safe."

I nod slowly and go back to crushing herbs. There was a lot going through my mind. Only Eliza knows about my gift, not even my family knows. They know that I want to be a healer, but they don't know of the power that I hold. I knew the exact moment of when I wanted to be a healer. I was a little girl at the time, around seven or eight. I was running through a meadow when I noticed a bird on the ground. A swallow actually. It had a broken wing and couldn't fly. I felt a pull in my chest and picked up the bird, ignoring the frantic tweets it was giving. I don't know how I healed the wing, but I laid my fingers gently on the bird and closed my eyes. The pull I felt in my chest grew and grew until I felt it leave my body in a wave of warmth. I opened my eyes and to my shock the bird flew out of my hands, healed. From that day on I knew that I wanted to help people. I felt that if I had such a great power, I could not not help others. It would be blasphemy to ignore such a gift.

I understand now what Eliza was saying. In order to keep doing what I love and help people, I have to take precautions to insure my safety, but to also those around me, such as my family and also Eliza. I would never forgive myself if they got hurt because of me. I feel my face harden. I won't let Michael hurt them. Even if I have to accept his proposal to spare them, I'll do it, but I'm hoping I won't have to. I shudder at the thought of him or his brother touching me. I considered the idea of leaving the village. If I did, Michael might come after me. He would hurt my family if I left and I couldn't live with myself if that happened. Not to mention I had a strong urge to stay. Yes, I will stay and fight him. I don't know how I'll do it, but I swore to myself he would never touch me again, and I meant it. I'm not one for violence, but I'll do what I have to. Then again… maybe I won't need to be violent. I just need to be smart about it. Eliza's shop has various herbs that do many different things. Determination sets across my face. The next time Michael, Tyler or James confront me, I'll be prepared.


End file.
